They both have built-in smart assistants. They both have displays. That doesn’t mean they’re equal in terms of performance

£139, store.google.com

Design

The petite Home Hub’s seven-inch screen sits on a pedestal, and hence looks a little bit like a lectern for a rabbit. With its fabric base and ‘floating screen’ look, it’s anonymous but not unattractive. The smaller size makes it easier to fit than Show.

display

The Home Hub’s display is nice and bright, and good for viewing recipes, the weather and Nest security camera footage, but it’s notably smaller than the Echo Show’s. On the plus side, the resolution is about the same.

Video and audio

The problem both these devices have is that they don’t do much more than their cheaper, audioonly relatives. The Home Hub does let you watch YouTube, but the small screen makes this less than cinematic. There’s no built-in camera here.

Smart home

While Google’s device controls about the same number of devices as Amazon’s, it always seems slightly more fiddly to set them up. On the plus side, Nest camera integration works really well. Google owns Nest, so it should, really.

verdicT

We’re impressed The price is very reasonable and the size makes it easier to position than Show. We’d improve There’s not enough here to justify the extra cost compared to an audio-only Google device.